Tag Archives: oceania

Government announces old quarantine facility to house flood-hit Victorians

A total of 250 beds at the mothballed Mickleham quarantine facility will be offered to evacuated residents in Victoria as the state's flood crisis worsens.

The beds, as well as meals and support services, will be made available from Tuesday, just one week after the Commonwealth-owned facility closed as a COVID-19 quarantine hub, the Prime Minister announced.

"Today we have announced at Mickleham, the Commonwealth facility will be made there, 250 beds for people who have been evacuated from flood-affected communities and part of our commitment to make sure that every support is being provided to these communities that are under such enormous pressure," Albanese said.

READ MORE: Evacuation warnings continue as floodwaters keep rising across Victoria

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said families, under "such enormous pressure", will also have access to immediate emergency funding.

In Victoria emergency disaster payments are available in a total of 23 LGAs.

Plus 17 areas of Tasmania and 31 throughout NSW also qualify. 

Applications can now be made and are open 24 hours.

Residents can find the latest warnings and evacuation orders on the VicEmergency website and weather updates on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

READ MORE: Victorians impacted by floodwaters eligible for emergency payments

"In Victoria, the disaster recovery allowances are available in the 23 local government areas that are impacted.

"In Tasmania, 17 local government areas are impacted and eligible for the disaster recovery allowance and in New South Wales, an additional four LGAs have been added unfortunately due to the spread of the impact of this flood event, bringing that number to 31.

"In addition to that… Australian government disaster recovery payment of $1000 per eligible adult, and $400 per eligible child, is available to people in the Victorian LGAs of Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Mitcham and the Central Coast."

Meanwhile the army is on the ground helping flood-hit parts of Victoria.

"Today, by the end of today, over 100 ADF personnel will be on the ground here in Victoria providing support with evacuations, sandbagging, providing whatever support is required and we will continue to respond positively to further requests," Albanese, said.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews detailed more about the former quarantine hub's use, 30km north of Melbourne.

He said the Mickleham facility has dedicated car parking onsite, as well as a shuttle bus providing free transport to and from Craigieburn train station and the local shopping centre – as well as other short transport requests if residents need them.

"People will not make their own way and as best as we can we will provide transport options for people to get there," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.

"We want to make this as seamless as possible and it is an option, it is not mandatory and not something everyone will choose to do.

"We're talking about many hundreds and indeed maybe thousands of people out of their homes, through no fault of their own."

Despite the day's clearer skies, the deluge earlier in the week is continuing to drive river level rises, with floodwaters threatening thousands of homes north of Melbourne.

Dozens of safety and emergency warnings are in currently in place across the state, with residents in the town of Charlton in north-west Victoria being told to evacuate the area immediately.

Social services minister says cost-of-living pressures to stay in 2023

Australians face a "very difficult situation" in the upcoming year as the nation's cost-of-living crisis shows no signs of easing.

With the federal government's first budget to be released later this month, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says that the government is dealing with a "very difficult budget" and that "responsible measures" are being taken to combat the crisis, but a resolution won't be found overnight.

"It is a very difficult situation that families are facing – we've got rising interest rates and rising inflation and we've also got a very difficult budget situation," Rishworth said on Weekend Today.

READ MORE: Australia to offer six months paid parental leave by 2026

"We've been left with more than a trillion dollars of debt by the former government and so we need to take a responsible approach.

"There will be measures that will be accommodated in the budget that we took to the election – whether that be our cheaper medicines or cheaper childcare – they do have a real impact on people.

"But we have to be responsible at the same time and that is the balance, that the treasurer and the government is striving to make."

READ MORE: Residents in Victoria's north told they have until midday to evacuate

Australian woman doing her budget

Rishworth said that the government's move to extend paid parental leave is "critically important", despite it not taking effect for four years.

"We are bringing in structural changes to paid parental leave at this budget, which will involve more flexibility, involves an element of shared care and also two income tests as opposed to one, to allow families once again for that more flexibility," she said.

"One of the key things coming out of the summit is that all the caring responsibilities shouldn't fall on the primary caregivers, which is usually mum.

"So we're looking at how we make sure that we're promoting shared care when it comes to our paid parental leave.

"We're taking a responsible staged approach to this to increase paid parental leave so that we can get to that 26 weeks, that six months, which is critically important."